2008
Hunt Of A Lifetime
By: Tyler Andrew
Smith
Hello
to all readers, my
name is Tyler Andrew
Smith. I was born on
January 29, 1992. My
life was just like
any other normal
child’s. On June 04,
1995 my life would
change forever. I
was diagnosed with
leukemia at the age
of 3. This is a very
deadly disease that
attacks the white
blood cell count
lowering the body’s
defense system. I
was put through 4
years of intense
chemotherapy and
extreme doses of
steroids.
At the age of seven,
I was taken off the
treatment and
pronounced in
remission. During
this time, the
doctors were unaware
of future affects of
the medications that
I took, so I had to
go in for monthly
check up’s. The
time between the
monthly check up’s
steadily got longer
the better my counts
got.
On October 24, 2008,
I was completely
released from all of
my specialist, and
this is my tenth
year in remission. I
have finally reached
the end of a long
hard road that I was
forced to travel.
When I was sick, my
dad, who loves the
outdoors, was forced
to stop hunting to
help with me. And
even after I was
taken off the
treatment, my dad
still didn’t go
hunting very often.
Soon after this, I
began to tag along
with my dad and I
also started to
develop the love for
the outdoors and
hunting. With me
tagging along with
my dad, it had
helped reopen his
door to the
outdoors.
When
I got older, my love
for the outdoors and
hunting turned into
an obsession. After
I turned 14 years
old, I got involved
with
Hunt Of A Lifetime,
a organization that
grants hunting and
fishing adventures
to children with
life threatening
illnesses. It was my
choice to travel to
Wyoming, and I was
fortunate enough to
harvest my first
bull elk.
Earlier this past
year, I received a
call from Gary
Burch, who is the
Indiana
representative for
Hunt Of A Lifetime
Foundation. Mr.
Burch asked me if I
would be interested
in attending a goose
hunt in Horicon
Wisconsin with
Waterfowl U.S.A. I
was so excited
because I had never
been on a goose hunt
before. The night
before the hunt
started, I was
presented with a
shotgun, camouflage,
and a gear bag. I
could not believe
this and it left me
speechless.
The first morning of
the hunt approached
quickly and it was
very exciting to me.
The group that I was
hunting with was
able to harvest 11
geese out of a
possible 12 geese.
The second morning
of the hunt arrived
and we changed
fields. I was able
to shoot a goose
early that morning
and couldn’t seem to
get another one. I
was the last person
of the group to not
limit out, so all
the people who were
calling in the geese
to our decoy spread
made a circle around
me, and the next
thing I noticed that
there were geese all
around me and I
didn’t know what to
do. Then someone
yelled out, “Right
Above You Tyler,” so
I raised up my gun
and took a shot, a
perfect shot it was!
The goose fell out
of the sky and
nearly landed on me
and the group of
guys around me.
Everyone around me
started to cheer for
the awesome shot
that I just took.
That is something
that I will never
forget and those
memories will always
remain within me.
The third morning
approached, and the
group I was hunting
with harvested 10
Canada Geese, and it
was just as exciting
as the other two
mornings.
I know that I will
never forget this
hunt for the rest of
my life. I was able
to meet so many
great people who had
the same obsession
with the outdoors
and hunting as I do.
And most of all, I
would like to thank
everyone who was
involved with my
hunt. I wish all of
you good hunting.
Tyler
Andrew Smith
Help a Child:
Hunt Of A Lifetime
has hit a record
high with the amount
of hunting and
fishing adventures
needed. With more
then 80 kids ready
to go out on an
adventure of a
lifetime, Hunt Of A
Lifetime has almost
exhausted their
funds. For more
information on
helping a child in
needs please contact
Hunt Of A Lifetime
at
Click Here
